If you want to sneak bad news out, any Government public relations advisor will sagely offer, do so later on a Friday afternoon. For the Labour Government, then, sneaking news out about its climbdown on its farm inheritance tax plans must be truly terrible news indeed: released on the day before Christmas Eve when most would be preoccupied with last-minute gift buying.

But for farmers, this announcement was literally the best Christmas present they could have wished for. Chalk one up for the good guys in their long-running and hard-fought campaign to get Labour to reverse its short-sighted farmer-hate policies.

To give it its correct name, the Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) thresholds will be increased from £1 million to £2.5m, and family farm businesses below the £2.5m threshold could receive 100 per cent relief when Inheritance Tax changes are expected to be introduced on April 6.

The farming and rural affairs ministry has also confirmed that spouses or civil partners will be able to pass on up to £5m in qualifying agricultural or business assets between them.

According to the Government, the number of estates affected by the changes to APR in 2026-27 will halve from 375 to 185, adding that it could save farming families 'hundreds of thousands of pounds'.

And the number of estates affected by the reforms, which only claim BPR, will fall by a third, the Government claims, which could reduce 'complexity' and ensure 'support goes where it is needed most'.

Anyway you look at it, this is a massive win for the farming community.

Ever since this plan was unveiled shortly after Labour came to power 18 months ago, farmers have rightly fretted about how they would hold on to their land and operations and pass them on to the next generation. Indeed, the policy proposal deeply affected the mental health of farmers, leading to fears that some would sadly choose to end their own life. Yes, the Government drove farmers to the point of suicide.

United, farmers took to the streets and fought like never before.

Pressure works. And thank God this Government has finally climbed down. Short-sighted idiots.